Forensic Serology

By Taylor Stanhope

Forensic Serology

By Taylor Stanhope

Description

Forensic serology is the detection, classification and study of different types of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, perspiration, and their relationship to a crime scene. A forensic serologist may also be involved in DNA analysis and bloodstain pattern analysis.

How is this field used in forensics?

Serology allows the forensic scientists to separate these bodily fluids when they are found at the scene of the crime. They then perform many tests on a person in order to identify where these fluids came from or who they came from. One important aspect of Serology is determining whether or not stains resembling blood found at a crime scene are actually blood or a different stain that has a similar resemblance.

Requirments to be a serologist

The majority of forensic serologists have a Bachelor of Science degree. However, there are some practicing serologists who do not have a degree, but entered the field with a significant amount of experience in an area of investigation such as analysis of blood spatter.

Criminal case

Robert Golub, a 21-year-old unemployed weightlifter was charged with murdering Kelly, his 13-year-old Valley Stream neighbor. Mr. Golub has denied the charges. Due to there being no eyewitness, authorities have built their case on forensic evidence: hair strands, a partial palm print and serology samples, mainly blood, found on or near Kelly's naked, mutilated body. The police did not discuss specific evidence in the case, but the bureau's serology experts said that blood found at a murder scene can be tested against samples given by suspects to eliminate them as suspects or to establish a strong link to the crime.